hidden depths i need a better title any ideas?
by lozbob
Summary: erm... well obviously a vampire high fanfiction, not sure where i was going with this, Setting somtime before Sherry's death, i added a new character - Carmen, she is meant to be a female version of Marty, very hot tempered and seemingly cold.


Chapter 1 Carmen arrives.

Dr. Murdock frowned intently his eyes skimming the person in front of him. He sighed deeply not sure if the elder's were making a mistake, he deeply hoped not, his student's safety was paramount to him – all his students were. Placing his elbows on the solid oak table before him he relished the sense of comfort it gave; strange how such an inanimate object can give him intimate security. Time to break the ice…

"The elders have requested that you stay here under my instruction –"

A cold piercing voice answered, "Until how long?"

It was not long since a voice like that would send shivers down his spine now however he barely reacted at all, he answered calmly. "You will be first be integrated among our night students, and then integrated into society." He studied the figure sat opposite and her reactions.

A tall slender pale skinned young vampire with dark ebony hair flowing unnaturally to an invisible breeze. Her eyes and expression was that of darkness. Her name was Carmen and she was the latest edition to the Mansbridge experiment.

"And how long?" she asked again this time with a low growl.

"Until I have assessed your case... Indefinitely."

Her response to this even took Murdock by surprise, Carmen growled ferociously her smile revealed a set of fangs ready to attack – she leaped forth and pounced on Murdock, he was saved, (just!) by Vakaal appearing before the scene,

"Get up, stand before me whilst I make judgement."

Carmen rose but not before she tasted Murdock as she licked his cheek, she growled at her elder showing utter contempt at his presence.

"You will remain here under the Dr Murdock's watchful eyes, you will show him respect –"

"He is mortal – he should be our lunch!"

"Insolent child, do you no not of our potential fate – accept this gift!" it was he who's eyes glowed this time warningly as he slapped her hard to the floor.

"If I refuse, what of me then?"

"You will pay the ultimate penalty, do not test fate!"

"It would be a great reprieve." Carmen spat back yet seemingly to accept her predicament she allowed Murdock to pull her to her feet. With that the Elder vanished.

"Now… Carmen we have got off on the wrong foot."

"Have we?" she shortly replied. Choosing to ignore her tone Murdock continued.

"Please sit. It is of my understanding that you are here for sanctuary, you are being hunted. Mansbridge can offer you this protection and you will receive a top notch education as well; kill two birds with one stone – if you will excuse the pun."

Carmen just sighed inwardly to her self, she hadn't the energy to fight no more she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than a good meal and a long rest. Murdock then continued with the rules and regulations she must obey, half of them Carmen had no intention of following.

Meanwhile the night students were watching the scenes unfold in Murdock's office through the CCTV system.

"Did she just vamp out to an elder?" Karl asked the others with obvious confusion.

"Yes Karl, she did." Essie replied in an impatient tone, "Great another psycho, Marty will be happy, infact Marty why you so quiet?"

Marty who was stud close to the screen did not reply. Drew who took little notice of Marty's unusual silence allowed his mind to once again drift off to Sherry, she was not hard to find. In her usual predictable self Drew found her curled up in bed pretending to study whilst really listening to Mimi her roommate who was also predictably chatting about another conquest – a boy she managed to coax into her bed. He was brought back down to earth, much to Drew's annoyance by Merrill.

"You're thinking about her again. Drew, you know it's forbidden, "

"Cut the lecture Merrill, I'm not in the mood."

"It seems that you're not alone… Marty is unusually sombre… wonder what's troubling him?"

"Why don't you read his mind and find out, your good at that." Drew replied in a tetchy way. Drew's response was an icy glare.

"Do I feel my itchy ears burning?" Marty announced suddenly back to his hyperactive self.

"Well I must say you've perked up." Replied Essie, "and here she comes… ladies and gents prepare yourselves for psycho number two."

Carmen allowed herself to be led behind the secrete door hidden by an ornamental shield, and what appeared to be a wine cellar. As she ventured further she knew she wasn't alone she could sense or at least certainly smell vampires….

"Class how are we this evening? I'd like to introduce a new member to our group meet Carmen Garcia – Ramirez. She is ah lets say a Spanish exchange student."

"And let's say you stop talking about like I'm not in the room."

As she came out from the shadows Essie laughed slightly as each of the boys gasped at her beauty.

"Hi, my name is Essie; this dim wit is Karl, that's Drew… and Merrill" said Essie reaching forwards.

"And who is that?"

"He's, not important, just a resident psycho… Marty"

"Not unlike me you mean."

"A mind reader huh… great..."

"Amongst other things."

Murdock felt the temperature drop very quickly and it had nothing to do with the room full of the undead. Evidently he decided it was time to begin his lesson. He ushered the class to their usual table and began.

"Today's lesson will be preparation for your mid term assessment, as you Carmen are a new arrival this assessment will be a good opportunity for us both to judge your case needs."

Chapter 2 Marty.

Carmen spent most of her nights isolating herself from the others, she liked her space, she did however make a small connexion with Drew – they successfully discussed politics in one lesson. Though Carmen liked her space it did not mean that she was at all silent or shy, infact she spent most of her time arguing with Marty. There was something about him that infuriated her so, she was always on edge around him, not allowing herself to relax – he kept her on her toes; not many could do that. During the day Carmen never slept long, her dreams were often plagued with horror, once that subdued the smell of the day students made sleep impossible, she could her every single heart beat and dance to each god forsaken lecherous rhythm it created. she longed for the taste of real blood not the crap Murdock provides; most of all she missed the hunt; the skilful art of lining up the next prey.

As per usual Marty was doing his best to annoy Carmen, he kept throwing paper aeroplanes directed at her head, after one two many she vamped out and flung the table she was working at directly at him.

"Hey! Somebody is over sensitive today! Hmm what is it? Tell uncle Marty all about it." He jokingly said as he dodged the table.

"It's nothing except maybe you pissing me off."

"Or maybe it's the fact that you haven't slept in days." He replied in a serious tone, Carmen was taken aback slightly by this, it was so out of character for Marty to be serious.

Before Carmen could answer the rest of the group entered the room closely followed by Murdock.

"So class how have we been getting on? Please remind me again of your essay titles. Marty?"

"Fear." He gleefully replied.

"What have you found?"

"An unpleasant feeling of anxiety or apprehension caused by the presence or anticipation of danger also there is nothing to fear but good old fashioned fear itself; personally I'd rather inflict fear rather than experience it."

"Very moral of you Marty, I will be looking forward to reading it. Now who's next? Ah, Carmen how'd you get on?"

"I chose hope."

"Interesting choice there, a summery would be?"

"Hope is a feudalistic and inferior response heightened by irrational thoughts of desperation. For Human's, hope seems to offer comfort yet in reality it is a dangerous psychological defect."

"Intriguing… please continue."

Carmen sat back a little and relaxed before she lazily continued,

"Hope is so over rated, and it comes mainly from ideological tools of repression i.e. the Church. People dare to hope that in the next life or 'heaven' as they call it there will be a better life than the one they live in, they hope that one day their god will come and deliver them from evil. Basically hope stops people from seeing the cold, dangerous reality they live in."

"Well Carmen, there is some topical debates going on there it looks to be very promising yet one question I must ask – if hope is so dangerous and primitive why do the elders think it necessary to hope that I am successful in guiding you students?" Murdock gravely replied, he could guess that Carmen would be the most difficult out of the group to change.

"Vampires don't feel emotion, we are not human we are animals seeking out hedonistic ways of hunting pray, vampires act on primary impulse or instinct rather, your hope is in vain this experiment is going to fail. You cannot possibly believe that you can change me."

"How can you say that Dr. Murdock and the elders have given us an opportunity – a gift, a gift of a better way – a better life!" Merrill argued back.

"What? You really think that what he is offering is a better life? Being taught to ignore your heritage, you think that once you've left here you can live amongst cattle and not want to feed? What is being offered here is a prison sentence –to last eternity hiding in the shadows skulking around in the dark an outcast to society."

"Well if this deal is so bad why stay? Oh that's right you stay because the alternative is being hunted down yourself – you're afraid of death." Defended Drew.

Carmen growled and bared here fangs; she spat "I am not afraid of death – death is a comfort, it is a fate for us all." She stormed from the room. Murdock shouted after her

"Carmen! This lesson has not finished!"

"It has for me."

Carmen paced around in the dorms she slammed her coffin lid down in anger; her mood was not lightened when Marty appeared in the arch way.

"What? If you've come to piss me off don't bother I'm not in the mood."

Marty never replied instead he walked slowly and silently across the length of the room. His piercing gaze never left hers; Carmen gazed back defiantly until she lost her nerve, instead her eyes moved downwards, when she did look back up, Marty was inches away from him. "Shit" she thought how the hell did he get here so fast? She looked deeply into his eyes – startled by what she found – hunger. He was hungry and hungry for her. What surprised her most was that her eyes whispered the same.

Chapter 3 secretes

Marty was awakened with a start; it took him a few seconds to find his bearings. He lay next to Carmen in his coffin, a smile escaped his lips as he remembered the night before – he frowned in confusion as he realised who woke him. Her face in obvious contorted agony tried it's hardest to mask Carmen's blatant beauty. She was withering in obvious pain. Marty not sure what to do, gently curled his arms around her and brought her close to him – shifting his weight as not to crush her, she seemed so delicate asleep almost too vulnerable. As her face relaxed Marty guessed the night tremor was subsiding so he settled down to sleep once more – only he found that once being awake, he had an almost like duty to watch over her – making sure she was alright.

Carmen woke, stretching out she accidentally whacked Marty in the ribs, waking him; (he eventually succumbed to the need for sleep.)

"Oh, I'm sorry… I forgot..."

"Thanks, it's always great to know I'm so forgettable." He grunted back before smiling reluctantly. Carmen giggled before tensing up.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" she lied.

Marty sighed, "Is this the part where you tell me, it was a mistake and we should forget about it?"

"No! Of curse not, why is that how you feel?"

Marty grinned in relief; he did however wonder what was really going on in her head.

"Why don't you read my mind and find out."

After a seconds pause she giggled and replied in a sexy sultry voice, that made the hairs on Marty's neck stand on edge.

"Hmm mister you'll have to wait, I'm starving, we worked up quite an appetite."

Marty and Carmen found the others watching the CCTV, all silent and serious; scanning each of their thoughts in turn one predominant emotion threatened to devour her in one big sweep. – Fear.

"Something's really wrong."

Marty never replied instead they both walked to see what was on screen.

Drew was the first to acknowledge their presence he whispered in a deathly serious tone

"Marty they've come for, her – they've tracked her down – and we're being pulled down with her… I'm sorry"

Marty reacted violently pushing Drew to the floor, before turning back to the screen – at least five BPDA agents were searching Murdock's office as Murdock himself looked on helplessly to stop them.

"I will go to them." Announced Carmen to the silent room followed by Marty's laughter.

"Yeah you'll go to them and kiss goodbye living."

"Technically I'm already dead."

"Don't play it smart! Carmen its suicide and you know it!"

Carmen sighed, she knew this day would one day come; it just seemed to have come a lot quicker than she expected.

"If I stay down here, we all die; personally I'd like to die on my own terms – and not with company of others, if I go at least I go fighting."

Marty vamped out ferociously taking everyone by surprise, his eyes glowed red his expression turned black, his growl was like nothing heard before.

"I'd rip them apart – before they moved an inch near you!"

In an instant Drew and Karl grabbed Marty – stopping him advancing on the BDA, whilst Merrill and Essie held Carmen as she tired to walk up the stairs.

"Hey does anyone get the sense of dajavoo?" asked Karl.

"What? Karl shut up and help Drew." Essie replied impatiently.

"I'm just saying this is a lot like what happened with Merrill that's all" he mumbled mostly to himself, Drew however heard and a spark flew off in his brain.

"KARL! You're a genius" Drew exclaimed

"He is?"

"I am?" both Karl and Essie said in unison.

"Marty, Essie CALM DOWN! I've got a plan."

Drew stood while the rest of the group sat huddled. Karl sat holding Essie and Merrill's hand while Carmen rested her head on Marty.

"Why did the BDA leave last time?" (The rest of the group shook there heads) "Because there weren't any vampires to find," Drew continued in a matter of fact tone whilst the others remained blank.

"Drew, last time we used a dorky looking kid and unless you've got them stashed around somewhere I don't see how this will work." Essie replied.

"No, you misunderstood, what I mean is… the BPDA can search here all they want but they wont find any vampires – not us anyway."

"Drew NO! We can't leave here were not safe out there!" Merrill exclaimed.

"Wow Merrill it took you to read his mind to figure that out, err in case you haven't noticed Miss Dimwit, were not safe in here, I'd rather put a few humans at risk of being dinner than becoming dinner ourselves… if ya catch my drift."

The others nodded in unison at a Marty, much to Merrill's dismay. Drew continued on.

"So, we leave now, then be back in a couple of days – get in touch with Murdock and see if it's safe – "

"Drew – "

"Yes Merrill we'll take some rations with us, don't want to hurt no humans do we –"

"No Drew –"

"What?!"

"The sun is rising – how'd you expect to get out of here?"

Drew paused a moment trying to work things out. Karl however was puzzled for a different reason.

"Hey Essie, so is like Marty and Carmen an item now?"

Essie just rolled her eyes in response.

Chapter 4 secretes revelled

"EWW, this is so not sanitary, I mean do I look like the sort of girl to venturing in sewers?"

Moaned Essie they advanced into the underground sewers

"Do you want a piggy back?" inquired Karl.

"You know what Karl, yes I do, cheers!"

Drew let the others lead as he fell back to talk to Carmen.

"So, I just want to make it clear… this little adventure is not an opportunity to eat."

"Drew I had plenty of opportunities to hunt while being at Mansbridge but I never."

"Ok, fine, Carmen, instead of trying to read my mind just ask me."

"Why are doing this? You could've let me go, all you lot would have been safe then, I don't understand. "

"Your one of use now, which needs no explanation"

Carmen smiled slightly content with her self, as drew put an arm round her shoulder,

"So what's the deal with you and Marty?" Drew grinned boyishly waiting for a reply.

"I never kiss and tell."

"Oh so they have been some kissing?"

Carmen just winked In reply.

"What's the deal with you and Sherry?"

"You know it's rude to prey into ones mind."

"C'mon Drew its common Knowledge."

Drew stopped walking; Carmen did the same, facing her he replied

"Not one person here understands what's going on with Sherry, it's complicated."

"That makes two of us."

"I thought it was all none complicated with Marty – I mean he is pretty simple."

"Hey! Don't insult him, he was willing to die for me, and it's not him that complicated it's me."

With that Marty appeared, "Hey, what's taking you so long?"

The night students found themselves in a nearby abandoned church, the scene was quite picturesque, fallen show resting on the gravestones, a calm and peaceful night, with the dusk just slightly braking through.

"This is so cliché." Essie once again moaned.

"Try and get some rest, we should be safe here for a while" Drew answered throwing each of them a ration of blood.

"Drew I found some black grease paint, do ya reckon we could use this to block out the windows?" asked Karl.

As the boys blocked out the light the girls settled down, they were joined later by the boys. Each member of the group slowly drifted off into a light sleep.

Drew woke he let eyes scan his surroundings, Essie and Karl lay beside each other, Merrill laid near Drew and Marty was drooling as he slept by himself. It took a second for him to realise someone was missing. Then it stuck him – no Carmen. "Shit" he didn't need this, he peered out the small crack in the walls seeing that the sun had set, he ventured outside.

"Going somewhere?" a familiar voice asked.

Carmen was stood leaning on a tree in deep contemplation, she turned to investigate the voice, it was Drew.

"Are you?"

Drew ventured nearer; he was surprised to see her looking fearful.

"That depends on where you're going."

"In that case nowhere" Carmen went to walk past him back into the church when he grabbed her arm to pull her back.

"Carmen, what's wrong?"

"Nothing now let go of me."

"Is that what you say to Marty when he asks? You know if you keep shutting us out eventually you'll end up alone."

Carmen sighed before she muttered in a defeated voice so unlike her own.

"I am alone."

Surprised by this Drew answered

"You've got us."

"For how long? How long will it last before this group gets ripped apart? You know we will eventually leave each other, and then we'll be alone."

Drew didn't have to be a mind reader (although it would be helpful) to know that Carmen held some deep rooted issues.

"And that scares you?"

She laughed cynically; Drew was so far of the mark it was quite comical.

"No Drew, I relish the thought – it's what I'm used to, it's this that I can't get, being a groupie…taking instruction, it's not who I am – it's not in my nature."

It was drew who laughed this time, he knew there was more too it.

"Cut the crap Carm, what's really wrong?"

"Why are you pushing me?"

"Cause I want to know too." Marty was stood in the shadows

"For Christ sake! There's nothing wrong with me."

"Drew leave." Marty spoke softly but stern.

"I need to know that she's not gonna freak out and go nuts once we venture out side."

"Drew leave!"

Drew looked from Marty and Carmen then reluctantly left them both as he went inside. Marty walked slowly towards Carmen, once again Carmen lost her nerve so looked down at her feet.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me." Marty lost his patients and shook her. In anger Carmen spat back:

"FINE! You wanna know what's wrong? I'll tell ya!" she paused as she realised what she was doing.

"Go on… don't stop before you begin."

She breathed deeply not sure if she her self was ready to revisit the horrors that plagued her dreams.

"Unlike you I was born a vampire."

"So."

"So, it means that I had a family… once."

Marty was surprised but kept silent.

" I had two brothers… twins younger than me, my farther and mother both vampires looked after us, we were part of a Spanish royal blood line, been running for centuries."

"What happened to them?"

"Butchered. My Farther was the first to go, trying to fend them off, my mother was next, then they came… I can still hear the screams, I can still here there last thoughts – there fears… playing over and over again…"

Carmen began banging her fist against her head inconsolable to Marty's efforts to stop her. Eventually he got a good grip and he brought her shaking fists to his chest as he began soothing her, he knew there was more to come.

"I escaped somehow I did, I don't know to this day how… I just kept running. I left them; I left my brothers to die. Ironic isn't it because technically they were already dead."

She laughed before continuing, Marty noticed her laugh was hollow much like her soul; he hated the fact that someone broke her and he wasn't there when it happened.

"A few years went, a century maybe the rest of my years were a blur, pitiful existence until I met another, a vampire not much age difference between us – her name was Colleen, she became my companion – a friend. We were in America when it happened, they came again in daylight we were caught of guard, and again I escaped not before I heard her last thoughts, the same as my brothers, I left her to die so I could live."

Marty remained silent throughout, yet one question he wanted answering – "Who?"

"The BPDA."

"It wasn't your fault you had no choice."

Carmen became angry at his words; she looked at him with pure venom in her eyes,

"Don't! Don't you dare, pity me, don't you dare feel sorry, not for a second! I stopped letting people in a long time ago, then you came, I was cold and solid, you broke that! So no don't feel sorry for me! It's your fault I'm like this! YOU MAKE ME WEAK!"

All the while she was hitting Marty with her fists, Marty just took it, until she couldn't hit anymore she sunk into him in tears, these were the first tears she ever cried, and it seemed to last forever. Marty brought them down to rest against a tree. Once calm Carmen continued with her story.

"I turned cold, my fear changed to hatred, I vowed to hunt down and kill as many humans as I can, I got quite a name for my self, the elders were not impressed, they imprisoned me until they found out who I was: the last descendant of the Garcia – Ramirez family. So they brought me to Mansbridge. Then I met you."

Marty held her close; he wanted her to know that he'd never leave her, that she was the one… **The one!** He never has been one for love but there was something about her that changed him, he saw she was different right from the start.

Carmen let her mind travel into Marty's as she studied his thoughts she grew scared once more. He loved her! And she did him, yet she knew that if she got close again he would leave and she would be alone once more. Her soul was broke enough. Yet although her mind told her to run something else told her to take it slow yet see how things go. She decided to stay.

"Marty? Tell anyone about this and I will kill you."

Marty laughed until he realised she was serious.

"Ok! You should know though, I'd never anyway… c'mon lets go."

Murdock sat at his desk, half smiling half looking furious. The night students stood hand In hand ready to argue their fate.

"You do realise the seriousness of leaving the school, each of you was warned that a breach of this rule would mean expulsion – "

"But –"

"SILENCE. Each of you put yourselves and others in immediate danger."

Murdock paused before fully smiling, the group sensing the change in tone all relaxed slightly.

"but, if you stayed then you would have been in more danger, as it seems each of you held back your instincts to hunt and for that I am extremely proud of you all. – DON'T do it again!"

_This was my first Vampire High Fan fiction, please rate and review! _

_I can only get better with the help of your constructive criticism. _

_Thank you for taking the time to read this. xx_


End file.
